Mountain lion killed in Santa Paula neighborhood

SANTA PAULA, Calif. 
Police shot and killed a mountain lion cub Tuesday as it advanced toward a resident in a Ventura County neighborhood, police said.

The shooting came as residents of this city 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles were warned that several other mountain lions – two adults and three cubs – may still be in the area.

Police have received reports of mountain lions in the area since Friday, including one on Tuesday morning from a family who spotted the animal in the yard. Police Chief Steve MacKinnon said an officer shot the animal as it advanced on a resident.

"Even though it was a smaller animal, the claws were very very large and could definitely hurt or kill someone," police Lt. Carlos Juarez told KCAL-TV.

About 800 Santa Paula residences have been warned about the remaining mountain lions – including the cubs between 6 and 12 weeks old – that may still be roaming their neighborhoods near rugged terrain.

Kevin Brennan, a wildlife biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game, said the repeated sightings are unusual. He said mountain lions usually avoid people, and they usually retreat into their natural environment within a few hours, Brennan said.

"It just defies logic," Brennan said. "Mountain lions are territorial animals and usually don't tolerate one another, particularly when they have cubs."

Under state law, mountain lions cannot be killed unless they attempt to kill livestock or pose a threat to humans.